Book & Multimedia Reviews - July 10

Lost Souls Burning Sky
Mel Odom, Jordan Weisman
2010, Running Press Kids, $17.95

Nathan, 13, gets a birthday surprise when he’s contacted by Kukulkan, a Mayan God. Nathan explores his heritage, gets superpowers and solves a mystery as he maneuvers through a cosmic game to save the world before it ends in 2012 (the last year of the Mayan calendar). Share the adventure with friends! Game board, stone pieces, dice and guide are included.

Amelia Rules #5 The Tweeange Guide to Not Being Unpopular
Jimmy Gownley
2010, Simon & Schuster, $10.99
AmeliaRules.com

“Everyone wants to be popular,” says Amelia, “even the ones who pretend they don’t …” In the fifth series installment, the teen tomboy and pals wrestle with identity issues after finding out that wearing mismatched socks can be a social kiss of death. She learns the most important lesson—the key to being a “cool kid” is just being herself. Book trailer, podcast, downloads and more at AmeliaRules.com.

Anni Zola, My Story
2010, $15
AnniZola.com

Meet Anni, a cool extraterrestrial teen and pop star. On her website, she blogs about life on home planet Orfea, her dreams, inspirations and her work to make life better through volunteering, art, education and by protecting the environment. Audiobook has 8 songs, bonus songs, video, and downloadable extras.

We Were Here First
Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott
2010, Workman, $12.99

“Baby Blues” fans will love this hilarious collection of comics from the nationally syndicated strip. Darryl and Wanda’s romance manages to survive, and thrive, amid the chaos of a suburban household with three small children. Grab a moment to laugh at these familiar scenarios, such as dad bragging about his weight loss after unknowingly putting on his wife’s maternity jeans.

DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains
2010, Workman, $12.95

Comic lovers and collectors can keep all the pertinent details right at hand—75 die-cut cards comprise this super-sized “family field guide” to heroes and villains. Each card lists: real name, abilities/superpowers, home bases, affiliations, weaknesses and the date and issue # of each character’s debut. Meet fan favorites like Batman and Catwoman, and those lesser-known, like Gorilla Grodd and Starro the Conqueror.